Penstemon plant named ‘florpenmag’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Penstemon  plant named ‘Florpenmag’, characterized by its deep purplish-red and white colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and vigorous, upright growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Penstemon hartwegii.

Variety denomination: ‘Florpenmag’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPenstemon plant botanically known as Penstemon hartwegii and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name ‘Florpenmag’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program inQuedlinburg, Germany during July 2011. The objective of the breedingprogram was the development of a Penstemon cultivar having large flowersand a long flowering season.

The new Penstemon cultivar is the result of open-pollination. The female(seed) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Penstemon hartwegiibreeding selection coded 2525-1, not patented, characterized by itsmedium burgundy-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, lowgrowth vigor and upright growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of thenew cultivar is unknown. The new cultivar was discovered and selected asa single flowering plant within the progeny of the above statedopen-pollination during September 2012 in a controlled environment inQuedlinburg, Germany.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings sinceSeptember 2012 in Quedlinburg, Germany and Elburn, Ill. has demonstratedthat the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of thecharacteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained throughsuccessive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Florpenmag’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Penstemon plant:

-   -   1. Deep purplish-red and white colored flowers;    -   2. Medium green-colored foliage; and    -   3. Vigorous, upright growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parentprimarily in flower color and growth vigor.

Of the many commercially available Penstemon cultivars, the most similarin comparison to the new cultivar is Polaris Purple ‘Florpenpur’, notpatented. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the newcultivar differ from plants of ‘Florpenpur’ in at least the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have more red in the flower color        than plants of ‘Florpenpur’; and    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar are more vigorous than plants of        ‘Florpenpur’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Florpenmag’ Theplants were approximately 20 weeks old and grown in 1.7 galloncontainers. Plants were finished outdoors for 10 weeks in West Chicago,Ills. Plants were given two pinches prior to transplant.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Florpenmag’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an inflorescence of ‘Florpenmag’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2015 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined in July 2016 under naturallight conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants producedfrom cuttings from stock plants and grown under conditions comparable tothose used in commercial practice. The plants were grown utilizing asoilless growth medium in 1.7 gallon containers for approximately 20weeks. Plants were given two pinches prior to transplant. Forapproximately 8 weeks after transplant, greenhouse temperatures weremaintained at approximately 60° F. (15.6° C.) during the day andapproximately 55° F. (12.8° C.) during the night. For the final 10weeks, plants were grown outside in West Chicago, Ill. No supplementallighting was provided. Measurements and numerical values representaverages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Penstemon hartwegii cultivar Florpenmag.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Penstemon hartwegii breeding            selection coded 2525-1, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Unknown.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 10 to 12 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 5 to 6            weeks.        -   Root description.—Fine to medium, fibrous white to light            brown in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 10 to 12 weeks from a            rooted cutting to finish in a 15 cm pot.        -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Perennial; Vigorous,            upright growth habit.        -   Hardiness.—USDA Zones 5 to 9.        -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 62.0 cm. Width: Approximately 60.0 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching. Pinching enhances lateral            branching. Quantity of branches per plant: Approximately 6.        -   Branch.—Shape: Round. Strength: Strong. Length to base of            peduncle: Approximately 29.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately            5.0 mm. Length of central internode: Approximately 3.0 cm.            Texture: Densely pubescent with very short hairs. Color of            young stem: 145B. Color of mature stem: 145A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per branch:            Approximately 24. Fragrance: None detected. Form: Simple.            Arrangement: Opposite and decussate.        -   Leaves.—Aspect: Acute angle to stem occasionally tips            downward turning. Shape: Narrowly ovate. Margin: Shallowly            serrate. Apex: Acute. Base: Sessile. Venation pattern:            Pinnate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately 13.0 cm. Width            of mature leaf: Approximately 4.0 cm. Texture of upper and            lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper surface of young            and mature foliage: 137A with venation of 146D. Color of            lower surface of young and mature foliage: Closest to 138A            with venation of 146D.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Florpenmag’ is freely flowering under            outdoor growing conditions blooming from late spring through            late summer.        -   Lastingness of individual floret.—Approximately 6 to 7 days.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   General description.—Type: Terminal raceme, not persistent.            Quantity of open inflorescences per plant: Approximately 6.            Fragrance: None detected. Length or height of inflorescence:            Approximately 30.0 cm. Width of inflorescence: Approximately            10.0 cm. Quantity of fully-open flowers per inflorescence:            Approximately 14.        -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length:            Approximately 3.5 cm. Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm.            Texture: Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color:            Colorless, transparent, hairs 71A. Color: 145A, appears to            have a reddish overlay due to pubescence color.-   Flower description:    -   -   Type.—Single, zygomorphic.        -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 3 to 4 days for bud to            progress from first color to fully open flower.        -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Obovoid. Length:            Approximately 1.5 cm. Diameter: Approximately 9.0 mm.            Texture: Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color:            Colorless, transparent. Color: Calyx of 138A; petals of 71A.        -   Corolla.—Shape: Bilabiate, upper lip of two lobes and lower            lip having three lobes. Width: Approximately 3.6 cm. Length:            Approximately 3.4 cm. Depth: Approximately 3.5 cm.        -   Upper lip lobes.—Shape: Ovate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Broadly            acute. Length from throat: Approximately 1.0 cm. Width:            Approximately 1.2 cm. Texture of upper surface: Glabrous.            Texture of lower surface: Sparsely glandular pubescent.            Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color of upper surface            when first and fully open: 71A to 71B with a band of 72B            where color transitions at throat. Color of lower surface            when first and fully open: 71A.        -   Lower lip lobes.—Shape: Ovate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Broadly            acute to rounded. Length from throat of central lobe:            Approximately 1.0 cm. Width of central lobe: Approximately            1.5 cm. Length from throat of lateral lobes: Approximately            1.1 cm. Width of lateral lobes: Approximately 1.6 cm.            Texture of upper surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower            surface: Moderately glandular pubescent. Gland color:            Colorless, transparent. Color of upper surface when first            and fully open: 71A to 71B with a narrow band of 72B where            color transitions at throat. Color of lower surface when            first and fully open: 71A.        -   Corolla tube.—Length: Approximately 3.0 cm. Width:            Approximately 1.7 cm. Texture of inner surface: Glabrous.            Texture of outer surface: Moderately pubescent. Color of            inner surface: NN155A with splotches of 71A. Color of outer            surface: 71A to 71B with NN155D at base.        -   Calyx.—Shape: Cupped. Length: Approximately 1.0 cm.            Diameter: Approximately 8.0 mm.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate.            Length: Approximately 1.0 cm. Width: Approximately 5.0 mm.            Texture of inner surface: Glabrous. Texture of outer            surface: Moderately glandular pubescent. Gland color:            Colorless, transparent, hairs 71A. Color of inner surface:            138A. Color of outer surface: 138B, appears to have a            reddish overlay due to pubescence color.        -   Pedicel.—Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: At an acute            angle. Length: Approximately 1.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately            1.0 mm. Texture: Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color:            Colorless, transparent, hairs 71A. Color: 145A, appears to            have a reddish overlay due to pubescence color.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 5 per            flower, one lacking an anther, connate by filaments. Stamen            length: Approximately 2.4 cm. Filament length: Approximately            2.3 cm. Filament length of fixed portion: Approximately            6.0 mm. Filament color: NN155B. Anther shape:            Horseshoe-like. Anther length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Anther            color: 79B. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: NN155D.            Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per flower. Pistil length:            Approximately 2.5 cm. Stigma shape: Conical. Stigma length:            Less than 1.0 mm. Stigma color: NN155D. Style length:            Approximately 2.0 cm. Style color: NN155D with an overlay of            71A that fades away toward stigma. Ovary length:            Approximately 5.0 mm. Ovary color: N144C.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Penstemon has not been observed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Penstemon plantnamed ‘Florpenmag’, substantially as herein illustrated and described.